Chapter Two: The Upcoming Tournament
Five years have passed at the kame house, since the discovery of their now adopted son Riley, who seems to be growing rapidly for a young boy at such a young age. He learns quickly making his parents proud. Krillin and his wife would always tell Riley and his little sister marron, the stories of their adventures and some about Goku, a man who inspired Riley when he first heard of his battle with Frieza on Namek to the fight with Cell at the Cell games many years ago. And now a certain message will push the young boy's dreams of seeing goku to reality.
"Riley! Where are you?" Eighteen yelled through the small house looking for her seven year old son.
"Tch! Where is he?" She thought as she walked down the stairs into the living room.
"What's all the commotion about?" Roshi asked coming from the kitchen with a sandwich in one hand and a glass of water in the other as he watched the young mother intently.
"I can't find Riley, do you know where he is right now?" She asked him hoping he'll know where the boy is.
"Well, last time I saw that energetic boy of yours he was running outside." He said with a small chuckle and Eighteen sighed in relief.
"Thank you." She said as She went outside to find Riley. She stepped onto the warm sand and scanned around the front but couldn't find him.
"Hey! Mom watch this" She heard Riley yell and she quickly moved to the back of the house to see her son facing the ocean.
"KAAA! MEEE!" He yelled and she felt his power spike and she quickly dashed toward him.
"Riley what are…" Eighteen stopped in mid sentence when she saw Riley move into a familiar stance that Krillin used to get into.
"HAAA!" A blue sphere of energy formed in the palms of his cupped hands. His blue eyes gleamed in excitement as he braced.
"He's really doing it, the kameha wave!" She thought as she watched her son amazed by his skill.
"MEEE! He yelled and the sphere grew larger and more brighter as it's signal of being ready.
"HAAAA!" He screamed as he fired his blast into the ocean, the beam cutting through the water like a knife through butter leaving a clear view of the ocean bed. The blast finally dissipated and he turned to look at her with his sheepish smile before it turned into a full grin.
"Ha!ha! Yes!" He yelled while pumping his fist in the air. He dashed toward his mother in excitement.
"I did it mom! I've done the kameha wave on my first try." He said stopped in front of her. Eighteens shock finally wore off as she smiled at her son.
"I seen it, I'm so proud of you." She told him as she enveloped him in a hug.
"Think dad would be mad?" He asked as he pulled away from her and started kicking his feet in the sand. Eighteen looked up and saw Krillin in the air still in shock of witnessing Riley's performance and chuckled getting her son's attention.
"I don't know, why don't we ask him." She said Riley narrowed his eyes a bit confused.
"Look up sweetheart." She told him and he did what he was told and began to stutter.
"D-dad! H-how l-long wh- where you up there?" He asked nervously as krillin landed in front of him.
"Long enough to see that you have great potential." Krillin said as he got over his shock.
"Who taught you, master Roshi?" He asked and Riley shook his head.
"N-no I figured it on my own dad." Riley answered as he stood up straighter.
"We will see about that." Krillin said as he turned and looked up at his wife.
"Eighteen was Roshi with Riley today lately?" He asked her and she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Now you know Roshi and what he does everyday staring at those magazines of his, there's no way he taught him the kameha wave." She explained to him and Krillin just scoffed.
"How about we just ask him." Krillin said and he was about to call him out when he was interrupted by his old teacher as he stuck his head out the window.
"I heard you guys arguing and no I didn't teach the young lad anything, I swear." He said as he put his head back through the window leaving Krillin to suffer the facts.
"Well that settles that." Riley said sarcastically as he looked at his dad to admit it himself along with his mother.
"Well…. i guess he did learn it by himself." Krillin said proudly. Eighteen looked down at Riley who was staring at the ground a faint blush on his cheeks. She knelt down to his eye level and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Come on let's go play with your sister, she's been waiting patiently for us." She told him he looked at her and smiled slightly.
"Alright see you there." He called out as he dashed toward the house and Eighteen followed in suit chuckling at the young boy's antics.
"Pass the ball, Riley! Marron said as she held her short arms up.
"Alright! Heads up!" He hollered as he tossed the ball to her. Eighteen watched the seen and narrowed her eyes at her son.
"Not so hard Riley." She told him sternly as the ball flew past Marron and went out the door and she followed it. He heard his father talking to someone outside and mention something about a tournament and he silently walked over to the door to investigate.
"I don't know Gohan, fighting with Goku again sounds too good to be true, but i gave up fighting a long time ago, plus i wouldn't stand a chance against you guys." He heard his dad say. Rileys eyes widened when he mentioned Goku.
"Oh, c'mon Krillin, for old times sake." The other guy named Gohan pleaded.
"I don't know I gave up fighting a long time ago, plus I have a family now, I don't know what my wife would think about this." He said as Eighteen walked passed Riley to the door, fussing that she heard their conversation.
"She would want to know what the prize money is." She said as she leaned against the door. Gohan looked at her and I didn't she knew him when he said her name.
"Oh, hi Eighteen, yeah first place is a hundred million zenni and second is seventy million and third is thirty million. He said. My mom's eyes flashed with determination.
"Enter krillin, i am so why not." She said her voice showing no room for argument. Krillin sighed in defeat as he looked at the young man.
"Well okay if you insist. Alright i'm in just don't tell Piccolo and maybe i'll stand a chance."Krillin whispered to him but Riley heard it and snorted to himself.
"Probably thought we couldn't hear him." He thought. Gohan looked shocked but kept his posture.
"Well I was planning on telling him. He said and Krillin looked down looking defeated.
"Oh well at least I tried." Krillin said bid Gohan goodbye before he blasted off.
"Alright we'll start training tomorrow morning sharp." Eighteen instructed giving Krillin an icy cold stare that sent shivers down Riley's spine, just imagining her staring at him like that.
"Hey, mom what tournament was that guy; Gohan talking about?" He asked and Eighteen's gaze softened and turned to look at him.
"It a competition where people go and fight each other, it's called a martial arts tournament and we're attending it." She explained and Riley quirked at this.
"So you going to fight other people like you did in those stories you told me?" He asked her. She was silent for a moment.
"Well… i don't know how to put this but yes i am, Riley." She told him and they sat there on the beach until Eighteen decided they should go in the house.
"Dinner was a little too quiet for Eighteen's likening, especially since Riley hadn't talked much, so she decided to break the ice.
"What seems to be on your mind little man?" She asked Riley and he jumped a little and regained his posture.
"N-Nothing just what that guy said earlier about Goku being at the tournament. What did he mean, I thought he was dead?" Riley said quickly and Krillin chucked at the boy's curiosity.
"Well let's say Goku is participating in the world tournament in a few months, but he'll only be here for one day." Krillin said and Riley gulped hold on to his remaining courage he had left.
"Well... I don't know what you're going to say about this but... Can I train with you guys for the tournament. I like to fight like dad,you and Goku did in your days." He asked excitedly and Eighteen looked at him shocked.
"I-I never trained anyone before in my life as far as I could remember." Eighteen thought, which isn't much, thanks to . With a sigh she looked her son in the eyes.
"Let me and your father talk about it later, okay?" She asked him. He was silent for a bit and She began to worry that he got the wrong message.
"Oh, okay." He said quietly as he stood up and began to walk out the kitchen. Roshi patted the boy on the back with a grin.
"Don't worry son, if they won't teach ya maybe I will!" Roshi said proudly trying to cheer him up.
"Yeah, thanks I'll think about it,... goodnight." He said quietly as he left the room. Roshi then turned to Eighteen.
"Eighteen!; there are times in life when you have to make hard choices for your children, even for yourself. Right now you have a son who is willing to fight alongside you. You might not know it yet but those stories you tell him and Marron inspired him. Every time you mention Goku his eyes shine with determination and admiration of not just him but for you and Krillin." Roshi stated while looking at her through those sunglasses of his. She sighed then looked at Krillin.
"Well what do you think Krillin, should we give it a shot on training him?" She asked him. He was silent just exactly how Riley was when he had things on his mind and she was about to ask again when he cut her off.
"Yeah, let's see what he can do tomorrow, but for now let him rest." He said rather calmly and Eighteen smirked.
"If we're going to see his limitations then let me test him." She said to her husband and he chuckled nervously.
"Alright if you insist just don't kill him. He said sarcastically. She looked looked at Marron who was sitting in her little seat and smiled softly.
"I will give you the equal amount of attention when we are done with the tournament I promise." She told her as she gently stroked the side of her face and the girl's face brightened.
"I'll cheer for mommy and daddy and Riley!" She exclaimed excitedly and this warmed her heart.
"Now we have someone who's willing to put their life on the line to save others… hopefully." She thought.
Meanwhile in Riley's room, the little boy stands next to the window gazing up at the stars shining brightly in the cool night listening to the sound of the waves gently rolling onto the beach.
"If my parents train me till the tournament I want to fight you, to test my limits against you, I'll be ready to face you soon and it will be a match you'll never forget Goku. Riley promised, but the boy didn't know that someone was listening to his vows with great interest and is looking forward into watching over him as his guardian angel. She was curious when King Yamma assigned her to watch this child. She asked him and he said in all do time, since she was young and new to this job. All he told her was that he was special and was needed to be watched constantly.
"We'll see each other real soon." She said as a small smile crossed her lips.